M38CDN Ambulance

[Ed Storey]

Photographs show the M38CDN Ambulance in use from the mid-1950s. Yes, that is a Mobile Command formation sign on the Jeep, although in this case the Canadian units involved had been on a ACE Mobile Force exercise in Europe.

[Dan Martel]

I've attached the relevant page from Vehicle Markings 1947 which gives the in-use Arm of Service serial number and background for an Infantry Brigade Group. Artillery AoS were assigned serial numbers 13, 14 and 15 on a red-over-blue background. Serial 13 was for the RCA Field Regiment, while serials 14 and 15 were artillery spares or 'alternatives.' I have photographs of the 1st Surface-to-Surface Missile Battery using serial 14, but I have no idea which RCA unit would have used serial 15.

But, hey... I have so much stored on my hard-drive, I'll probably stumble upon it some day.

[Ed Storey]

Just to make things interesting, these markings changed in 1949 and again in 1963.

[derk derin]

Here are a couple pictures of a members M38 Jeep ambulance from @2005 era.
Interesting to note that the spare tire is mounted on the passenger rear side of the vehicle and not on the hood. Did they relocate the spare tire to the hood later for a narrower vehicle width for shipping or was it just mounted incorrectly?

[Ed Storey]

Good question, while I do not have a copy of the modification instructions, photographic evidence suggests that moving the spare tire onto the hood was part of the conversion.

Z-10562-10 CH113A Voyageur 10410 with M38CDN 31007 copy.jpg

[Wayne Hingley]

From a 1954 document. Configuration is aligned with the two images shared by Ed (fuel can stowage on right rear, and spare tire on hood).

[David Dunlop]

If I recall correctly, the owner of the restored ambulance here in town put the spare on the side rather than the hood because he wanted to maintain ease of putting the windscreen assembly down for summer drives.

The vehicle was restored and in the Charleswood area of town for a number of years and then disappeared.



David